Local Govt PS pleads not guilty as hearing opens

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Cyrille Turatsinze and his co-accused, Rwego Harelimana, yesterday, entered a not-guilty plea to corruption related charges against them, before the Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge.Rwego and Turatsinze, who have been in custody at Kicukiro Police Station since their arrest on July 20 and 21, respectively, were defending themselves for the first time.Prosecution represented by Rugambwa Ndibwami, the chief prosecutor of the Nyamirambo-based court, said Turatsinze solicited a bribe of Rwf2 million from businessman, Jerome Nshimiyimana, to facilitate him to win a tender at the ministry.Ndibwami told court presided over by Judge Maliciane Mukagasana, that Turatsinze sent his co-accused to collect the money on his behalf.Prosecution also presented a voice recording, alleged to have been a conversation between Turatsinze and Nshimiyimana, which was played during the hearing, where the former tells the latter that he would send someone to “collect something,”. The conversation nonetheless does not indicate what exactly that person would collect from the businessman.According to prosecution, Turatsinze had promised Nshimiyimana, who owns an IT company, to win a tender in the ministry, if he offered him Rwf2 million.However, Turatsinze said Nshimiyimana had requested to see him and that according to the PS, that is what the conversation was all about.“Awarding of tenders is done by an independent committee, which I am not part of. Secondly, there was no way I was going to promise him a tender even when the ministry doesn’t have a procurement plan, which indicates tenders that are supposed to be put on the market,” he told court.He also denied sending Rwego to collect the money on his behalf. His lawyer, Christopher Niyomugabo, said the prosecution’s evidence is baseless and lacks facts.He asked court to acquit his client.“Nshimiyimana, as a businessman, who has won different tenders, should know how tenders are awarded. There is no way he was going to pay Rwf2 million, without knowing the kind of tender he wanted to win since the ministry has no procurement plan,” said Niyomugabo, adding that it was a set up.Rwego also insisted Turatsinze did not send him, adding that the money Nshimiyimana gave him was for a laptop he wanted to buy from his shop.Rwego owns an IT shop in Muhima, Nyarugenge District, where he was arrested as he collected the money from Nshimiyimana.Rwego said Nshimiyimana was supposed to hand to him Rwf500, 000 for a laptop as they had agreed, but instead gave him Rwf490, 000 on promise he would bring the balance, at the time of his arrest.It also emerged during the proceedings that the money Nshimiyimana gave Rwego was handed to him by police.Prosecution said the money was given to Nshimiyimana as a way of proving that Turatsinze had actually solicited a bribe from him.The hearing continues today.

National

Local Govt PS pleads not guilty as hearing opens